


A Better Life

by Underworld_Vampires



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Confessions, Episode: s02e13 Irresistible (X-Files), F/M, Mulder and Scully sit down for a talk, Post-Episode: s02e13 Irresistible (X-Files)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-17
Updated: 2019-08-17
Packaged: 2020-09-06 01:34:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20283211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Underworld_Vampires/pseuds/Underworld_Vampires
Summary: Post-Irresistible. Scully realizes that the life she leads is not the life she wants anymore. What does she want? A family, a career where she doesn't have to risk her life and she realizes the man that she wants to spend the life with is the man who has been standing beside her.





	A Better Life

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CodenamePegasus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CodenamePegasus/gifts).

> For the X-Files Episode Fic Exchange
> 
> I really hope this is everything that you could have wanted for this prompt! I tried my best and part of me is considering writing a sequel to this, not going to lie. 
> 
> Please enjoy!

It had been a few weeks since everything with Donnie Pfaster, and Scully couldn’t quite get back to the way she used to be. The nightmares had not let up, and although her current therapist had been doing everything she could, healing took a long time and she wasn’t sure what she wanted anymore with her life and her job. She still had another few weeks of medical leave left, but now she wasn’t sure she really wanted to go back. It had given her a new lease on life, a new perspective for what could be and the fact that she had already lost so much time.

Her therapist had told her that maybe returning to work for the FBI might not be her best course of action, and despite how determined she had been, now she was really beginning to think she was right. She had some promising other jobs lined up if she elected to leave, but she had to talk to someone first. Well, she already knew she was leaving, but she needed to talk to him before he found out from Skinner. 

Scully couldn’t sit still, anxious for Mulder to arrive. She had made dinner, set up everything and was just… waiting for him to show up. She knew what she wanted, and that was him. She wanted to settle down, away from the lives they lead within the FBI, have a family and just be… normal. She knew that wasn’t what he wanted, and she doubted that he would want it with her. He deserved better, but she wouldn’t deny what she wanted anymore. 

The knock at the door startled her out of her thoughts. Part of her, instinctively, wanted to shy away from the sound and pretend she wasn’t home, but she knew she couldn’t hide from this anymore. She took a deep breath and slowly walked over to the door, opening it to see Mulder on the other side, roses in hand. 

“Hey, Scully,” He greeted, obviously unsure of the situation. He offered the flowers to her, which she accepted. “I got these from a guy off the side of the road, hopefully he didn’t end up following me.” The sound of his laughter caused her heart to fumble in her chest. She smelled them before she moved to put them in a vase. 

“Thank you, Mulder.” She took a shaky breath and knew that this was the moment to talk to him about her intent. “I need to talk to you about something, let’s sit down.” She lead him to the dinner table, pulling the chicken from the oven and serving the two of them. She could tell he was curious what the situation was and why she was being so secretive. It was going to be a big change in their lives and in their relationship potentially, and it was time she finally told him the truth. 

“Is everything okay, Scully?” She shook her head, and could see that now he had his panic face. It was rare for her to admit that something was wrong, but she was working with her therapist to be more open to people. “What’s wrong?” 

It was startling, she had no idea that she had fallen silent, not answering his question completely. She took a deep breath, looking up at his eyes. 

“I’m putting in my resignation, Mulder.” She watched as he stiffened and opened his mouth to speak, but she lifted her hand in response. “I’ve realized that what I want from life isn’t what I’m doing now. I’m tired of putting my life on the line, of running around everywhere. I want to settle down, have a family, go into a field where I don’t have to risk my life day in and day out. I’ve had too many close calls since joining the FBI, and I’m tired of it. My therapist and I agree that this is something I need to do. I can’t keep doing this. She diagnosed me with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder from everything I’ve been through. She said that I need to get out of the high stress situations like that, and I agree with her. I’m looking into teaching forensic pathology at the academy again.” She could feel anxiety settle into her stomach as she reached the part of the conversation that she wasn’t sure she was ready for. She could see he was ready to get up and leave. 

“Why did you need to sit me down to dinner, to tell me that you’re quitting.” His voice was a little nasty, which caused her to flinch. “Why did you need to do that? Couldn’t have just spared me the pain and just called, or just not shown up at all? Why did you have to rub it in my face?” Scully could feel the tears burning her eyes, and she knew that she could have come up with so many different ways to talk, but she figured that being open would be the best possible way to talk to him. She needed to tell him now, before she lost him forever. 

“I told you like this because I want you,” She cut herself short, cheeks immediately turning pink. “Because I am… tired of beating around the bush about the way we feel. You’ve been walking on eggshells around me since I… I came back and mom told me what you did, how broken you were. It made me realize just how much I wanted a life with you. No running around and chasing creatures in the night, just… you.”

She could feel the tension in the room and she stood up, putting on a show. She could tell he didn’t want this, and she wasn’t going to stick around. “I’m going to go to bed,” She cursed the way her voice cracked “I’ll… see you around, Mulder. Lock up when you leave” Without giving him a chance to say anything, she left the table, food still on it, and went to her room to process. 

She laid everything out on the table, and look where it got her. Broken and alone, listening for the door to close and the man she had realized she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, walk out of it. Only when she had a moment to herself did she allow the tears to fall. It was ridiculous. She knew she was acting like a child, but she finally got up the courage to tell Mulder how she felt. He broke her heart yet again. 

It felt like an eternity since she had been crying in her room, but it had only been a few moments. Mulder’s knock startled her out of her tears. “Go away, Mulder. Just go home,” Her voice cracked as she spoke.

“No.” His voice was muffled by the door. “I want to talk about what you said. Can I please come in?”

Reluctantly, Scully got up and opened the door. Her eyes narrowed as she watched him study her now ragged form, before his eyes lingered on her lips. With a nod, she let him in, going back to sitting on her bed.

“I need you to listen to me, please, Scully.” Mulder’s words had taken on a bit of a pleading tone. “You caught me off guard with all that you were saying. I thought… I thought that I had done something to upset or hurt you. I didn’t want to do anything like that. As for what you suggested-?” 

“Mulder, I realize I asked too much of you.” Scully’s tone was a bit apologetic, not noticing the look on Mulder’s face. “I shouldn’t have asked so much of you, in terms of a progression of our relationship. You’ve become my best friend, and even if I’m no longer okay to return to work and I decide on a different path, I want you in my life.”

“That’s what I’m saying, Scully,” He was being soft, his posture becoming relaxed as he moved to stand in front of her. “I want to take this next step with you. I don’t care if you want to marry you tomorrow, or if you want to wait a year or two. I realized how much I needed you when I thought I had lost you. I didn’t want to make things weird between us, so I pretended that I didn’t want this from you. I realize how stupid that was for me. I want to be with you. I want to have a family with you.” 

Tears filled her eyes and she found herself moving to wrap her arms around him. She couldn’t believe how lucky she was, that the man she loved actually shared the feelings she held. Before she knew it, their lips were touching. His lips were so soft, not forceful or expecting of anything. More than anything, she knew he was doing his best to not upset her at all. At that moment, she knew that she made the right choice in confessing to him. He would never be upset or angry with her, never push her to be anything more than what she could. More than anything she would be happy. 

Almost a year later, the two of them were wed. It was a small affair, with Scully’s family, Skinner and a few of her closest friends. He had tried to invite the Gunmen, but he knew that they wouldn’t risk being seen out in the open. Scully insisted that they set up a secure video feed for them, so they could at least watch the wedding.

“I always knew you’d marry him,” Melissa walked up to Scully at the reception. Her cheeks were flushed from the alcohol, and she wore a smirk on her face. “You two were just meant to be, Danes.” 

Scully turned red, sipping at her water. “I suppose I just needed something to jump me into action.” She hated to think of it like that, but it was probably the best way to think about her situation in the end. She still suffered from nightmares on occasion, was still a little too on edge, but things had gotten easier. Especially now that she had Mulder in her life. 

“Now, a toast, let’s get you some alcohol.” Melissa got up and went to the bar to get something for Scully. The next thing Scully knew, she went to go and grab her wrist to stop her sister from going off to grab her anything. “Dana? What’s going on? Don’t you want something other than water to drink?” 

“I’m good with water.” 

“Danes?” She studied her sister for a moment or two, before her eyes widened in realization. “Dana, are you pregnant?” Nothing was said between the sisters for a moment or two, Scully’s eyes wide in alarm. She had been caught off guard by the fact that her sister had come to that conclusion so quickly. 

“I-I’m…” Fuck, she had been caught and now there was no going back. “I’m not sure. I’m late but that could mean anything.” Not really, and she knew it. She was just trying to make excuses, to avoid telling anyone what she suspected. “Besides, I haven’t even told Mulder yet.” Scully watched her sister’s face light up with the realization and she clapped her hands. 

“You need to tell him, tonight.” Melissa giggled, really wanting to know how long Scully planned on hiding this fact from Mulder. When she saw her sister open her mouth to object, she jumped in. “Danes, you can’t hide this from him any longer. That man is your husband, and the father of this baby. He deserves to know that he’s going to be a father.” 

Scully sighed, knowing that she was right. “Alright Missy, you win. I’ll tell him tonight.” 

That night, Scully knew she had to be true to her word. They were laying in bed, the last twitches of pleasure rushing through her veins as Mulder’s fingers brushed against her bare side. She turned over to face him, and noticed just how surprised he seemed.

“What is it, Scully?” His fingers moved to brush against her cheek, and against her will, her head tilted and she leaned into his touch. She needed to focus, get this out there so he would know.

“I’m late,” She blurted out after a minute or two, and immediately she could see the confusion on his face. “My period. I’m late.”

His eyes widened almost comically, and Scully thought that he was going to pass out. “Scully, are you pregnant?”

“It’s possible. I haven’t taken a test yet. It could be stress related because of planning the wedding-,” He cut off her ramble with a searing kiss that had her growing aroused for him all over again.

“You don’t need to take a test. You’re pregnant, I know it.” She laughed at his certainty, and kissed him again. He moved so he could press a kiss to her bell and nuzzled against it. “I never got the chance to thank you, Scully.”

“For what?” Her brows furrowed.

“For convincing me to give up that life. Without that, I never would have known what it was like to truly have a family.”

Scully just curled up in his arms after he said that. She knew that things would still be hard, but she didn’t regret this life that she lead now. It brought her to have a family, a husband, and just a better life.


End file.
